Posts made in September, 2010

Hundreds of AOPA members each month apply for the AOPA aircraft financing program, the only financing program endorsed by AOPA. The program now offers new lower rates, which means your monthly payments could be more affordable.
Visit the loan calculator page to calculate your monthly payment. This could get you one step closer to realizing your dream of aircraft ownership. The program also offers an easy online application, competitive terms, and no prepayment penalty, and your AOPA membership is free for the life of your loan.
If you have questions, feel free to use the “call...

Much progress has been made in recent years in the development of biofuels made from microalgae, animal fat and other non-petroleum-based substances, and they likely will be approved for use in aircraft by the middle of next year. This week’s Green double-issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology examines biofuels and other environmental-related breakthroughs across the aviation industry, as it commits increasing resources to develop and utilize a range of advanced technologies that will allow airlines to operate much more efficiently and greatly reduce carbon emissions.
“We...

Question: Since total avgas consumption is miniscule compared to fuel consumed by autos, trucks, and lawn mowers, why is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even bothering general aviation with 100LL lead emissions?
Answer: Since the 1971 passage of the Clean Air Act, the EPA reasonably viewed the impact of 100LL on the air quality in the United States as de minimis. Avgas represents one third of 1 percent of all gasoline sales in the United States. However, the EPA’s “hand was forced” by a 2006 petition brought by the environmental group Friends of the Earth to review the lead...